Kindred: The Embraced: Prince of the City
"Prince of the City" is the second episode of the Fox Network television series Kindred: The Embraced. Directed by Peter Medak, it first aired on Wednesday, April 3rd, 1996. In this episode, Frank Kohanek tries to take down Eddie Fiori, but fails. He makes a reluctant truce with Prince of the City Julian Luna, but is still obsessed with finding a way to destroy him. As Frank learns more about the Kindred, Julian tries to strengthen his ties to the human world. He invites his niece Sasha to stay with him and enters into a relationship with an investigative reporter named Caitlin Byrne. Meanwhile, Eddie Fiori decides upon a solution to his Frank Kohanek problem. Synopsis Frank Kohanek and Sonny Toussaint are in Lieutenant Kwan's office. Kwan criticizes Frank over his obsession with Julian Luna, but Frank also has his sites trained on perhaps an even more dangerous adversary, Eddie Fiori. They meet with one of Eddie's underlings from the Dock Worker's Union, Paulie Boyle. They coerce Paulie into wearing a wire and going undercover to prove that Eddie is accepting bribes from ship owners. They go to the union office and send Paulie inside. Paulie talks with Eddie and another Brujah named Nino Donelli. Paulie is very overt in speaking about the bribes, and Eddie immediately figures out what is going on. He pulls his shirt open and sees that Paulie is wearing a wire. Frank and the others hear Paulie's screams of pain and raid the office. Eddie and Nino are gone. Frank goes upstairs and finds Paulie's body lying on a table with a metal hook sticking up out of his chest. Sonny and Kwan come in to find Frank touching the hook. Now that his fingerprints are on the evidence, Frank now looks suspicious. Sonny informs him that there will likely be an Internal Affairs investigation. Kwan and Sonny leave and Frank walks around the perimeter of the building. Eddie Fiori emerges in the form of a wolf. He turns human and warns Frank to back off. Meanwhile, Julian goes to a correctional facility where he finds that his "niece" Sasha has been thrown in jail. She was arrested for hitting an undercover police officer whom she found hassling a young woman. Julian bails her out and invites her to stay with him at his mansion. At the police station, Internal Affairs investigators are brought in to question Frank on the murder of Paulie Boyle. Frank is livid at the notion that the department would actually suspect him of murder. None of them truly believe that Frank had anything to do with Paulie's death and the questions are but a matter of formality. After his meeting with I.A., Lieutenant Kwan sends him out to get some dirt on Fiori. At Julian's mansion, they come upon the young rebel Cash. Cash is now the head of Julian's security team, replacing his late sire Stevie Ray Stevie Ray was killed by Eddie Fiori in "The Original Saga" Sasha takes an immediate interest in Cash, but Julian warns that his niece is "off-limits". Julian goes to The Haven and meets with Toreador Primogen Lillie Langtry as well as an investigative reporter named Caitlin Byrne. Caitlin works for the San Francisco Times and wants to write an article on Julian entitled "The Most Powerful Man You Never Met". Her investigations into his background however have hit a wall, since there is no evidence on record that Julian even exists; no birth certificate, no property deeds, no voter registration card, etc. Julian promises that he will give Caitlin a full interview, but with a few of his own provisos; The meeting will be held at a restaurant of her choosing; he is free to not answer any question he chooses; on questions that he does answer, he is then allowed to ask her a personal questions, which she must agree to answer. Caitlin agrees to the conditions and leaves. The next day, Frank Kohanek goes to the Nighthawks Diner in the early morning hours. Julian Luna arrives and Frank is surprised to see him in the sunlight. Julian tells him that vampires can venture out into the day so long as they have fed. Frank still hates Julian Luna, but an uneasy truce develops between them as they realize that they also share a common problem - Eddie Fiori. Julian offers Frank his assistance, saying that he has Kindred in the police department that could force the Internal Affairs department to ease up on him. Frank declines and says that if Julian really wanted to help, he would help him nail Eddie Fiori. Frank leaves to do some research on the Kindred. He finds an old textbook, which speaks of vampires and the nature of their abilities. He shows it to Sonny who scoffs and thinks that it is all nonsense. One of the powers described in the text is the ability of a vampire to learn the history of an object simply by touching it. This intrigues Frank who ponders the notion of using Kindred to help capture Kindred. Julian goes to Mankzino's Restaurant where he meets with Caitlin. They begin the interview, and Caitlin asks him he is in fact that mobster that everyone believes him to be. Julian denies the allegation, then asks Caitlin how long it's been since she had a lover for more than one night. Caitlin at first refuses to answer, but relents and says that it has been quite some time. He then asks her about her childhood and how old she was when she first became emotionally detached. This upsets Caitlin and she tells him that the interview is over. Hoping to smooth over her frustration, Julian hands her an obviously falsified birth certificate. Caitlin takes it and leaves. At Luna's mansion, Sasha goes down to the garage where she finds Cash testing out her motorcyle. Sparks fly between the two and they engage in a string of double etendre and sexual inuendo, ultimately culminating in a kiss. Cash grows nervous, arguing that Sasha is what the others would call "Forbidden Fruit". Sasha doesn't care and tells Cash that Julian wants him to bring her to the Haven. At the club, Julian and Lillie finish engaging in their own tryst in Lillie's private parlor. Lillian doesn't care for Caitlin (or any other woman connected to Julian) and says that her position as a reporter threatens the Masquerade. Julian disagrees and sees that Caitlin could be used as a tool. If things with Frank Kohanek take a dire turn, he can always have her write an article accusing him of being a "rogue cop" and have him fired. He punctuates the conversation by declaring that he is going to purchase the San Francisco Times. The two go downstairs and Julian sees Sasha sitting at the bar with Cash. He asks Cash to bring her safely home and makes a veiled threat about places like the Haven attracting young vampires who might seek to take advantage of her. Cash understands Julian's tone and brings Sasha back to the mansion. The next day, Julian goes to Caitlin's house. She makes him dinner and afterward they enjoy a glass of wine. The two grow closer to one another, and despite Caitlin's misgivings, she begins kissing Julian. That evening, Frank Kohanek goes to the Haven where he finds Julian and Lillie. Julian introduces her to Frank, but Lillie is extremely rude to him. Since Frank is already aware of her true nature, she decides to unsettle him by scratching a nick onto the top of his hand and licking the blood. Frank dismisses Lillie's behavior and shows Julian a ruby ring that he recovered from Paulie Boyle's body. Knowing that vampires can perceive the history of an item by touching it, he gives it to Julian to see if he can link it to Eddie Fiori. Julian promises to look into it. Later, Eddie meets with Sonny Toussaint in his car. Eddie is tired of Julian interfering in his affairs, especially now that he appears to have mended bridges with Frank Kohanek. He wants Sonny to help him set Julian up to take a fall. Sonny is more than agreeable. Sonny goes to Julian's mansion and the two men embrace. Sonny tells him that he has been working closely with Eddie Fiori and that Eddie completely believes that he is loyal to him. Julian is pleased to see that Sonny had managed to gain Eddie's confidence. This will enable him to more readily take Eddie down when the time is right. The conversation then turns towards Frank Kohanek. Sonny admits to liking Frank and thinks that he is a good man. He is glad to see that he is under Julian's protection (whether Frank wants it or not). A short while later, Frank returns to his apartment. He finds a package waiting for him and inside is a rifle that fires phosphorous rounds. He receives a telephone call from his mystery informant (Sonny) who tells him that the gun will help him to defend himself against Eddie Fiori. Julian holds a conclave of the Primogen council in the meeting room in his home. Eddie Fiori, as the leader of the Brujah clan, is also present. Julian presents the ring that Frank had given him and tells the others that it might yield information on who murdered Paulie Boyle. The unauthorized murder of a human is a violation of Kindred law, and the perpetrator risks his own life by engaging in such an action. The ring is passed around the table and each Kindred in turn uses their powers to see who the killer is. Eddie grows extremely nervous. The ring reveals the murderer to be Eddie's henchman, Nino Donelli. It is decided that Nino's life is now forfeit, but they must also decide if Eddie, being Nino's sire, should also be held accountable. A vote is cast amongst the members. Lillie and Daedalus vote in favor of Eddie, while Cash and Raine vote against him. Since the vote is tied, it is decided that Eddie's life will be spared. Meanwhile, Nino breaks into Frank's apartment under orders from Eddie to embrace him. Frank fires the phosphorus gun at the vampire, killing him instantly. Frank later meets privately with Luna to tell him what happened. Julian reminds him that his position prevents him from simply eliminating Fiori, and that just cause must exist before he can act. Both men enter into a strange partnership and commit themselves to bringing Eddie down. The next day, Julian visits Caitlin. He tells her that he has purchased the San Francisco Times and is now promoting her to the position of City Editor. Caitlin asks if he will still allow her to publish her article about him, but Julian leaves it up to her. That evening, Julian sneaks into Caitlin's bedroom and watches her as she sleeps. Caitlin awakens, but when she turns around, Julian is gone. Cast Regular Cast Guest Stars Notes & Trivia * This episode is available on the Kindred: The Embraced - The Complete Series DVD collection released on August 21st, 2001. * Production code number: 3795-002. * First episode to feature opening credits. Kelly Rutherford, who makes her first appearance in this episode, is included in the credits. * The textbook that Frank is studying is filled with illustrations taken from the original Vampire: The Masquerade roleplaying game. * Cash reveals that he is of "Gypsy blood". This trait is more characteristic of Clan Ravnos than Clan Gangrel, which is not presented in this series. * The reason why Lillie votes in favor of sparing Eddie, is because she had secretly conspired with him to get rid of Alexandra Serris in "The Original Saga". * Actor Christian Svensson also played a vampire in the "Heartthrob" episode of Angel under the name Christian Hastings. Quotes See also External Links * * "Prince of the City" at TV.com * "Prince of the City" at ShareTV.org * "Prince of the City" at TV Rage.com References ---- Category:1996 television episodes